Handling device



June 23, 1942. H, A, OLOMON 2,287,576

HANDLINGv DEVICE Original Filed Nov. 21, 1940 Patented June 23, 194-2STALES Original application November 21, 1938, Serial No. 241,569.Divided and this application July 23,

1940, Serial No. 346,979

1 Claim.

This invention relates to a device for handling material or articleshaving a flat or plain surface, such for example as sheets of metal, andmore particularly the invention has to do with a device of this typeemploying a suction cup provided with a suitable handle and meansoperable to break the vacuum of the suction cup to permit release of thematerial.

This application constitutes a division of my copending application,Serial Number 241,569, filed November 21, 1938, for Handling devicesince matured into Patent #2212355.

The invention has as an object a device of the type referred toembodying a particularly economical construction including the provisionof means for breaking the vacuum of the suction cup, which means isconveniently operable by a. finger of the hand with which the device isbeing manipulated.

The invention consists in the novel features and in the combinations andconstructions hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In describing this invention, reference is had to the accompanyingdrawing in which like characters designate corresponding parts in allthe views.

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a device embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on line 22, Figure 1.

Lifting devices of the type herein referred to and disclosed in mycopending application are used extensively for handling fiat sheetmaterial, such as sheet steel, and the device herein specificallyreferred to is employed principally for the lifting and manipulating ofrelatively small pieces of sheet material, such for example as theplacing of blanks of sheet material in punch presses and the like. Thisdevice is entirely manipulated by one hand of the operator and consistsof a handle It) provided at one end with a hand grip II and having asuction cup 12 secured at the opposite end thereto. .The handle l may beof any suitable size or construction to fit the needs of the use towhich the device is to be put. As here shown, the handle Ill consists ofa channel shaped member having depending side flanges l3 and beingprovided at one end with an aperture to receive the stud 14, the head l5of which is securely embedded in the suction cup l2, the stud beingdetachably secured to the handle as by nut it.

It will be understood that the suctioncup I2 is molded or Otherwiseformed from elastic material such as rubber or the like, and is formedwith a concave surface which, when pressed against the sheet material,forms a vacuum causing the cup to adhere with considerable force to thematerial.

The vacuum, effected by the engagement of the concave surface of thesuction cup, is broken to permit the cup to be released from thematerial being handled by flexing a peripheral portion of the cupupwardly or away frcm the surface of the material. This flexing of thecup is effected by a flexible member such as wire 25 secured at one endto the cup adjacent the peripheral edge thereof extending axially of thehandle it and terminating in a finger engaging loop or portion 2!arranged in juxtaposition to the hand grip l l, whereby it may beengaged and manipulated by the index finger of the hand in which thedevice is gripped. The arrangement is such that when the loop 2! ismoved toward the hand grip H, the edge of the cup I2, adjacent the pointwhere the outer end of the wire Ell is secured thereto, will be movedupwardly or in a direction substantially parallel to the axis of thecup. Preferabl the wire 28 is slidably arranged in a tubular guidemember 22 arranged in the channel structure of the handle it.

The device described has proven to be a particularly efficient andconvenient means for rapidly handling relatively light weight articles,such as feeding blanks into a punch press as previ ously alluded to. Thedevice is entirely manipulated by one hand, leaving the operator free toactuate the machine with the other hand. The cup i2 is moved intoengagement with the blank with a slight pressure which may be effectedby a striking motion thus establishing a vacuum between'the cup and theblank. The blank may be then lifted and positioned by the device, and isinstantly released by simply pulling the loop trigger fashion toward thehand grip l I.

What I claim is:

A manually manipulated handling device of the type described comprisinga handle portion channel shaped in cross section and provided with ahand grip at one end thereof, a flexible suction cup secured to theopposite end of the handle portion, a wire secured at one end to saidcup adjacent the peripheral edge thereof and ex tending axially throughsaid channel formation toward said hand grip, the opposite end of saidwire being formed with a finger engaging loop arranged below said handlein juxtaposition thereto, said loop being movable toward the handle byengagement with one finger while the hand grip is gripped .by the hand,and said wire being operable during such movement of the loop portion toflex 2. portion of said cup out of engagement with the surface to whichit is secured.

HARRY A. SOLOMON,

